Milk-can lock.



J. P. LEPPZ ER 6: 0. J. LYI'LE MILK UAN LOOK. APPLICATION FILED r213. 28, 1910.

Patented Aug. 2, 1910.

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iiiiii' mung illll 'llllllllllll WITNESS-ES J. F LEPPZER & O. J. LYTLE.

MILK CAN LOOK PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP 0.

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1 m WW i I UI! JOHN F. LEPPZER AND ORMAN J. LYTLE, OF MCKEESPORT, PENNSYLVANIA.

MILK-CAN LOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 2, 1910.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN F. LEPPZER and ORMAN J. LYTLE, citizens of the United States of America, residing at McKeesport, in the county of Allegheny and ,State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Milk-Can Locks, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to a milkcan lock, and the primary object of our invention is to provide a lock for holding the lid of a can in a closed position, whereby the lid cannot be removed and the contents of the can tampered with or removed.

Another object of our invention is to provide a lock that can be used in connection with various types of cans and lids, the lock being easily applied to the ordinary type of can without changing the construction thereof.

A further object of our invention is to provide a lock that can be made a permanent fixture upon the can, while the lid locking device can be removed by a person equipped with a key or authorized to receive the con tents of the can.

A still further object of our invention is to furnish a can with a lock that is simple in construction, durable, inexpensive to manufacture and highly efficient as a means for retaining a lid in a closed position.

lVe attain the above objects by the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter specifically described and then claimed.

Reference will now be had to the drawings forming a part of this specification, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the look as applied to a can, showing the lock in connection with a flat'lid. Fig. 2 is a plan of a detached lock. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a portion of a band forming a part of the lock. Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view of the lock taken on the line ww of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a fiat lid keeper. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of another type of can provided with our improved lock, showing a modified form of keeper, and Fig. 7 is a similar view showing still another modified'form of keeper.

Our lock comprises a sectional band consisting of sections or parts 1 and 2, each section being semi-cylindrical to engage the neck 3 of a can 4. The sections are pivot- 9. The lock 9 is adapted to hold the band upon the neck 3 of the can and prevent said band from being accidentally or even intentionally removed.

The section 2 of the band has the outer side thereof intermediate the ends provided with an enlargement 10 having a vertical groove 11 formed therein. The enlargement 10 is bifurcated at one side, as at 12, and pivotally mounted in the bifurcation by a vertical pin 13 is a hasp 14, the free end of said hasp having a slot 15 formed therein to receive a staple 16, carried by the enlargement 10. Nhen the hasp 14 is closed, an ordinary padlock 17 is placed in engagement with the staple 16 to positively hold the hasp in a closed position. The inner side of the hasp 14 is provided with a vertical groove 18 adapted to confront the groove 11 of the enlargement 10.

Fitted in the neck 3 of the can is a lid having a flat top 19 and adapted to extend over the top of the lid is a keeper 20 having a depending rectangular shank 21 provided with a head 22. The shank 21 of the keeper is adapted to engage in the confronting grooves 11 and 18 of the enlargement 10 and the hasp 14 respectively, the keeper resting upon the upper edge of the enlargement 10 while the head 22 engages under the enlargement and the hasp 14, thus preventing the keeper from being shifted after being locked in position by the hasp of the look.

In Fig. 6 of the drawings we have illustrated a modification of the keeper of the lock, the keeper being made goose-neckshape with an angularly disposed slot 23 adapted to receive the flange 24 of a can neck having a funnel-shaped mouth into which a flat top lid 25 is placed.

The keeper shown in Fig. 7 has been designed for a lid of the mushroom type, and irrespective of the shape of the lid, the keeper of our lock is adapted to extend over the edge of the lid toward the center thereof and prevent the lid from being withdrawn from the can.

The lock in its entirety is made of strong and durable metal and the band is adapted to be made a fixture upon a can, particularly by a wholesaler, who retains the key of the lock 9, while the key to the lock 17 is retained by a retailer. It is also possible for the key of the lock 9 to be held by a dairyman and the key to the lock 17 by the consumer. In either instance, the lid of the can cannot be removed except by a person equipped with a key.

While in the drawings there is illustrated the preferred embodiments of our invention, it is to be understood that the structural elements thereof can be varied or changed without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

What we claim as new, is:

1. In a milk can lock, the combination with a can having a neck adapted to receive a lid, of a sectional band looked upon said neck, a hasp carried by said band and adapted to be locked in engagement therewith, and a keeper adapted to be locked between said hasp and said band and extend over the edge of said lid.

2. In a milk can lock, the combination with a can and a lid adapted to fit therein, of a sectional band adapted to be locked upon sa1d can, a hasp hinged to said band and adapted to be locked in engagement therewith, a keeper adapted to extend over the edge of said lid, and a shank carried by said keeper and adapted to be held between said hasp and said band.

3. In a milk can lock, the combination with a can having a neck, and a lid adapted to fit in said neck, of a sectional band locked upon the neck of said can, an enlargement carried by one side of said band, said enlargement having a vertical groove formed therein, a hasp pivotally connected to said enlargement, said hasp having a vertical groove formed therein adapted to confront the groove of said enlargement, a keeper adapted to extend over the edge of said can and retain said lid in the neck thereof, a

depending shank carried by said keeper and adapted to be held in the confronting grooves of said band and hasp, and means adapted to lock said hasp in engagement with said enlargement.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN F. LEPPZER. ORMAN J. LYTLE.

WVitnesses:

H. C. EVERT, KARL H. BUTLER. 

